Improved extension-ladder



waited (States @wat @time Letters Patent No. 92,492, dated July 13, 1869.

IMPROVE!) EXTENSION-LADDER.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it mag/ conce/rn Be it known that I, WiLLIAM F. TRAUTMAN, of Llewellyn, county of Schuylkill, and State of Pennlsylvania,vhave invented a new and usefull Improvement in Extension-Ladders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in whichy Figure l is a front elevation of my ladder extended, and ready for use.

Figure 2 is a side of same.

Figure 3 is a view of the ladder folded, or drawn together, so as to be transported.

Figure 4 is a side view, showing it arranged as a step-ladder, with platform attached.

Figure 5 ris a top view of the jack used.

Figure 6 is a front view, showing the arrangement for shifting the ladder.

Figure 7 is a yiew of the catch and spring used in holding the ladder firmly against the wall.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The ladder is made in three sections, A, B, and O, each of which isy composed of two sidepicces, p, p1, p2, if, P, and lf- Near the lower` end of the section G, and working in bearings secured to the inner sides of the pieces p4 and p5, is a windlass, W, provided with a pawl, P, and crank K.

Section B is placed on the back part of section C, and slides in guides G and G1, secured to the upper ends of the side-pieces p4 and p5.

On the lower ends of the side-pieces p2 and p, of section B, are secured two guides, G2 and G3, which pass around and slide on pieces p* and p5, of section G.

The side-pieces p and p1, of section A, are placed in front, and between the pieces p2 and p3, of section B, and slide in guides G, G5, GG, and G7, secured to the pieces p2 and p3.

The upper ends of the sides 11 and p1 have fitted over and secured to them sockets S and S.

The upper ends of the said sockets are madeso as to form open jaws, into which are placed and pivoted, bymeans-of the pins N and N, wheels E and E.

On the inner side of the said wheels are placed catches T and T', which are held in position by means of the pins N and N passing through them.

On the lower edge and centre ofthe catches T and T', a groove is formed, in which one end of the spring 0' touches, theopposite ends being secured tothe inner sides of the sockets S and S', as shown in fig. 7

. The catches T and T are operated by means of the rope R, which is attached to the arm cl.

Secured to the lower round of the section A, is a rope, D, iig.-2, which passes over the upper round of the section B, and thence down and under the lower round of the same section, and thence over the upper round of the section O, and down the front of which, where it then passes to the windlass W, where it is attached, as shown by dotted lines, iig. 2.

When itis desired to form a step-ladder, the section A is withdrawn from the guides in section B, and the ends reversed, so that the projecting portions of the pins N and N will tit into suitableopenings made at the upper ends, and on the inner sides of the pieces p2 and p, as shown in fig. 6. The straps F and F', which are pivoted, are then turned up and over the ends of the side-pieces p2 and p, thus holding the pins N and Nl implace.

When it is desired to have a' platform in connection with the step-ladder, or to erect a scaffold upon the extended ladder, (two or more ,ladders being required for this purpose,) I apply, as shown in iig. 4, to any of the rounds of the ladder, a jack, J.

The said jack is composed of a framing, and is attached to the rounds by means of hooks, which pass over the round, and is held in a horizontal position by means of braces.

In the .centre of the section B, and secured to the inner sides of the pieces p2 and p, is a framing, I,

' which folds dat with the ladder when the sections are drawn together, and extends out when the ladder is extended, and serves as a king-post, in connection with the rope R', which is placed immediately back of it.A

In order to hold the vsections A, B, and C firmly apart when extended, I employ supportingfblocks H and H.

' The said blocks are attached to the lower round of each section by means of a strap, which encircles the round; and the opposite ends of the blocks are hol lowed out, so as to lit over and rest on the upper rounds of the section immediately below it.

The operation is as follows:

The ladder, folded up as shown in tig. 3, is transported, by means of the wheels E and E', to the locality desired to erect it. The ladder is then set up on an angle with the wheels resting against the wall. Crank K is then turned, and rotates the windlass W, and winds the rope D around it. .This elevates thc section B.

When the Ysaid section is at its height, and the ladderis required to be longer, the windlass W' is again rotated, and the section A extended to the height desired. The centre part of the rope R has previously been hooked on to the hook L, on the end of' the rope R. The opposite end of the rope R is now secured When the rope R is drawn taut, the sharp points on the catches 'l and T will be projected against the wall, so as to prevent the ladder from working sideways.

The jackJ, alluded to in the above description, can be used with doors, enclosing the space between the framing of same, so as to open, and allow a person to p -1. The pivoted frame I and ropes It R', arranged and operating substantially as described, for the purpose of bracing the ladder when extended, as set forth.

' 2. The catchesT and springs r, in combination with the upper section A and ropes R R', for the purpose of preventing end-motion ot' the ladder when placed in position, substantially as described.

' 3. The combination of thesockets S S', straps F F', pins N N', and sections A B, when arranged to operate substantially as described, and for the purpose of forming a stepladder, in the manner set forth. Y

WILLIAM F. TRAUTMAN.

Witnesses:

A. J. HUNTZINGER, LEWIS ZIMMERMAN. 

